The Ben Azadi Show Why Waking Up at the Same Time Every Night Is a Nervous System Issue, Not Aging, Hormones, or Your Bladder, and the 5-Minute Ritual That Fixes It With Ben Azadi | #1247
Feb 13, 2026
They explore why waking at the same time each night is a nervous system problem tied to a deep muscle called the psoas. A simple five-minute bedtime ritual is shared to release the psoas and downregulate fight-or-flight responses. Techniques include passive hip opening, vagus-stimulating breathing, ankle pumps, spinal decompression, and legs-up stillness with gratitude.
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Psoas Drives Nighttime Wakefulness
- The nervous system, not age or bladder, often causes waking at the same time nightly due to psoas tension.
- A tight psoas keeps sympathetic (alert) tone high and prevents deep sleep restoration.
Start With Reclined Butterfly Release
- Do the recline butterfly: lie on your back, soles together, knees fall outward, and let gravity do the release.
- Support with pillows if you feel tension and avoid forcing any stretch or pain.
Use Vagus Breathing With Affirmations
- Practice vagus nerve breathing: inhale 4s, hold 2s, exhale 6s through the nose while affirming "I'm safe now."
- This pattern lowers nighttime cortisol and increases parasympathetic tone to improve REM and sleep efficiency.
